Here are two simple marketing gaffs I see all the time.

They irritate me beyond belief because they are easy to avoid.

They happen through laziness, not ignorance. That’s what drives me mad about them.

Here’s the first: not knowing your numbers.

I don’t care what you sell – whether it’s a low ticket item or one that costs thousands and thousands, you still need to know:

• How many visits you need for a sign up or enquiry
• How many sign ups or enquiries you need for a sale
• How much the average sale is worth to you

And finally, in time:

• The average life time value of a customer

Without these metrics you are just driving blind. You have no idea how much you can profitably pay for a lead. That’s gambling, not marketing.

The second marketing gaff that drives me insane is this:

Not having enough emails in your autoresponder list.

So here’s how an autoresponder works. A prospect enquires, and then gets your emails as and when you please.

You may have 12 emails plumbed in, and decide to send them once a week.

But after 12 weeks, what then? Your prospect will forget about you.

You need to make it your mission to add emails constantly to your auto-responder list.

If you find this a pain, don’t worry – live with it. All the heavy lifting is at the front. Once you have a 50 or so in the system you can start to relax.

And then it’s all automated. All your new prospects are taken care of.

If you’ve written your emails well, it’s like having your own sales team working 24/7 for you, without lifting a finger or paying any wages.

So don’t be lazy with your emails – they are worth the effort.

If you’re not using an auto-responder yet, try out this one.

Makes sense? More tips here: